When it comes to racism, we’ve still got a long way to go

As another pair of AFL racism stories cropped up this week we’ve been given time to stop and lament how little has changed in the 20 years since the league got serious about the issue. Many sensible and valid things have been written and said, particularly by a sincere and embarrassed Bulldogs president Peter Gordon in the wake of revelations that Neville Jetta had been racially abused by a Bulldogs fan in round eight, but nothing can take back the hurt caused, nor that to Adam Goodes after it was revealed that yet another fan had racially abused him last week. Sadly for many people around Australia, the message never sinks in.

What these people have to realise, and they are people who wander around among us, possibly chatting to us at work or standing next to us in the supermarket, is that each of these incidents isn’t just a flashpoint in public debate and a chance to have a national discussion, it’s the beginning of a deeply hurtful period of time for the victim. That personal toll is what is underestimated in all of our broad-brush statements of condemnation, our claims that we can be thankful it’s a minority of people causing trouble and our league policies. It’s not an absolute minority of people who engage in this abuse, either, especially online. We really need to stop kidding ourselves about that.

Even if you haven’t personally experienced the devastation that racial abuse causes, you might know or love someone who has. When it happens to occur in the victim’s place of work, as it has for these players, it’s all the more bracing. Add to this the fact that the recipients of this abuse almost definitely started playing the game in the first place because they loved it and it made them happy.

Going to the footy is a happy event for a lot of us but for victims of racism, it’s inevitable that the scene of that abuse becomes tainted and often serves as a visual reminder of the pain that was inflicted. We shouldn’t underestimate that personal experience by always placing it within the context of a broad problem because it diminishes each individual case and lessens the pain that just a single ignorant or hateful comment can make. All the progress we have made and will make doesn’t take away that deeply personal pain.

Thankfully a growing amount of us wouldn’t let these things occur in our own home and by extension of that, when we go to the footy we want to make it a place where everyone feels equally welcome and safe. That so many fans stood up and told these abusers that what they were doing was wrong and reported them is encouraging. It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure racism never goes unchecked. Until that happens we’ve got a long way to go.

Jack Riewoldt’s not really that bad, is he?

In comparison with all of that, the travails of Jack Riewoldt and the Tigers seem a little trivial, but the situation has at least provided us with one of the quotes of the season. After a loose-lipped Riewoldt’s public claims that the Tigers had tried and failed to institute a game plan modeled on Hawthorn’s, Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said, “We caught up with him this morning and removed his foot from his mouth and my foot from his arse.” Hardwick also flagged the fact that he’d be discussing Riewoldt’s possible demotion from the senior side for this weekend’s clash with GWS with the club’s leadership group, which placed next to the money quote was comically lacking in authority. He’s really struggling at the moment, the Tigers coach.

But is the world a little bit tough on Jack? No matter what you think of him as a player, the media and fan vitriol directed at Riewoldt has grown a little wearisome in recent times, especially considering how often we lament the disappearance of characters in the game. He wears his heart on his sleeve, occasionally sooks but also presents as an honest and self-deprecating character in media appearances so it’s a little harsh to knock him for anything other than his performance. He’s not beating up bouncers or crashing cars either, so probably deserved a little more slack. Is that a minority view?

Either way, his Tigers are up against it having slumped to 16th on the ladder and heading to the still-funny-sounding Spotless Stadium to take on the Giants. It’s 16th v 17th actually, the kind of clash between two diabolically out-of-form sides that might just heap even more pain on Tigers supporters. It’s lucky they’re used to it.

The match of the round – Port Adelaide v Hawthorn

Is it in any way possible that this game will live up to our expectations? We can only hope so because on paper it shapes as one of the most fascinating and entertaining clashes of the season so far. Though it’s only fair to acknowledge the stunning progress that Port have made in the last 12 months, there should be some lingering doubts surrounding their dismal record against the Hawks in recent times. Even when they’ve been good they’ve been thumped and they haven’t tasted victory against Hawthorn since late 2010. Hawthorn’s injury list shapes as the unfortunate caveat for this clash, though skipper Luke Hodge, Brad Sewell and Liam Shiels are all a chance to return at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

You don’t really expect the Hawks to lose any matches these days, especially not with the devastating way they use the ball when given space, but Roughead, Lake, Mitchell, Gibson and Rioli are significant outs. At home and in benefitting from what’s likely to be a parochial atmosphere, Port thoroughly deserve the tag of favourites in their first major acid test of the season.

CROSS-PROMOTION ALERT: in a historic* first for this season, we’ll be live-blogging the game so all you comments section regulars will be expected to email in with your wry quips and observations. We’ll literally print anything, I promise**.

*not really historic

** maybe not nude pictures

Will Geelong ever lose to a Victorian side at home?

In theory Geelong’s Simmonds Stadium clash with North Melbourne should be a reasonable tussle but it’s impossible to think we’re going to learn a hell of a lot from the almost inevitable Cats win. They just don’t lose to Victorian sides at home, especially not ones as flaky as this North Melbourne team. Chris Scott’s side always match up well against the Roos and despite a growing sense that they’ve been fading of late, there’s a reason they’re still a top four side. They’ve beaten Hawthorn this year, for Pete’s sake.

That theory of the Cats flatlining is the singular hope for the Roos; that Geelong’s relative slump in the middle part of the season could be further exploited. If the North Melbourne that stuck with Port Adelaide and then consigned them to a narrow loss turns up, an upset is possible. Being away from Etihad Stadium, the setting for many of their most noticeable disappearing acts, could be a good thing too. There’s been a major upset almost every round this year and the tiniest part of you wants to believe that this clash could add to the list.

The Gold Coast Suns are looking a little bit scary

Let’s face it, as we watched these expansion sides being handed all of the prime talent on a platter we knew that this moment would come, we just hoped it would take a little longer. Though the margin in Gold Coast’s 38-point win against St Kilda last week was reduced by the surprisingly feisty refusal of the Saints to give in to the inevitable, in patches of the game the Suns just looked menacing. Gary Ablett was sensational with four first-half goals and another statistical count that made the Champion Data computers go into meltdown, but the scarier prospects lay elsewhere.

Brandon Matera looked like he’d explode away from defenders and snap a jaw-dropping goal every time he went near it, the tall timber of Tom Lynch, Zac Smith, Rory Thompson and Steven May was dominant as they dwarfed their Saints opponents and the goals came from everywhere. A win here against the Bulldogs, who must be wondering whether it’s worthwhile even fronting up, will put them in the top four and it’s safe to say that now comes as no great shock. The Suns haven’t just crashed the party, they’re going to beat people up and steal their stuff as well. For mediocre toilers like the Dogs, resistance is futile.